Heat treating means



Nov. 2, 1943. w. P, SMITH ETAL 2,333,344

HEAT TREATING MEANS Filed June '7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l I l Q mumBY 5 Edward 1449550067;

Nov.2, 1943. I w. P, SMITH EI'AL HEAT TREATING MEANS Filed June 7, 19415 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 2, 1943. w. P. SMITH ETAL HEAT TREATING MEANSFiled June 7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 umlw'i o HHIHHIH] M Nov. 2, 1943. w.P. SMITH E AL 2,333,344

HEAT TREATING MEANS V I A 70 Z4 INVENTQ 5 Wag} F3722 70, BY CEazz/ard14525227067,

Nov. 2, 1943. w. P. SMITH ETAL HEAT TREATINGMEANS Filed June '7, 1941 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE Wake/F677;

lllHHuHW CELilUd/Ui W 57i Patented Nov. 2, 1943 U N I T E D STAT ES PATENT 0 FF HEAT TREATING FIEHNS Walter P. Smith and 0 Edward Wstover,Chicago,-Ill., assignors to Burnside Steel Foundry Company, Chicago,111., a corporation or Illinois Application June 7, 1941, Serial No.397,146

'10 Claims.

The present invention'relates to improvements in straightening and-heattreating means.

The present invention will be described in connection with means forstraightening and heat treating elongated member such as conveyer screwsof the type used in stokers. Such screws are commonly manufactured by acasting operation and after bein taken from the molds must bestraightened and heat treated.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for heat treatingelongated "members with a-minimum of handling.

A further object is to provide improved heat treating means incooperation with improved straightening means whereby uniform heattreating operations may be expeditiously performed.

A further object is to provide straightening and heat treating meanswell adapted to meet the needs of commercial operation.

liurther objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodimentof the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 1;r H

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by thearrows 3-3 of Figure 1 and Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along the plane indicated by thearrows 44 in Figure 1 and Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the planes indicated by thearrows 55 of Figure 3 showing the hammering member in contactinrelationship with a conveyor screw;

Figure 6 is an end view of the structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,the viewbeing taken in the direction of the arrows 6-6; and

Figure 7 is a view on an enlarged scale taken along the plane indicatedby the arrows 'l--! of Figure 1.

The description of the mechanism may be prefaced by a brief preliminarydiscussion thereof.

Referring to the straightening and heat treating of conveyer screws,which structure have been chosen for illustration, such screws, afterhaving been cast, are placed in a heating furnace. After having beensubjected to a heating operation the screws are taken from the heatingfurmace "and placed upon straightening mechanism which according to th'epresent invention in- 'c'lude's a horizontal V-S'h'ape'd the, open fatits bottom. A ='conveyer screw is commonly li l d fi at one of its endswith a socket 6f non-round conformation, aria into this s'oc'k'et aprojection is fitted "whereby turning fnover'nent may be communicated tothe screw to be straightened. A spring-pressed abutment is moved upagainstjthe opposit'e hd of the screw so that saids W is resiliently"held "against 'ehdwise movement while it has been rotated. 11hoop'erating V-shaped "die is adapted to be "brought-flown withhanimerblbws against the the side of the screw as it is being rotated.Inasmuch as the screw, when it comes from {the heating furnace, willordinaril be warped, "the socket referred to, in one end-of the screw,may be out dflin'e with the lengthwise dimension of the screw. For thisrea'SOn the projection fitting within the-sch mata aperture in thesocket portionbf said screw should have a meteor lessLuilversalmoverhent. V

Convey'er screws "are I Inaruff actured of varying diametersinter'riredietteof theirends, t n a ed t en a scr w bein tapered. Inorder fto'takfe care or the tapered portions of "a-s'crew; or of theportions 'o'f le's' s diameter than-the largest V on of -the screw, theupper 'd'iem'ay beprovid'ed th'a "shoe shaped to "conform toftlre 'shapefof the straightened screw. This "shoe need be located only upon "theupperdie. m

Below the lower digjs an elongatedftank with overflow pipe's exteridin'gto near the top thereof. This tank maybe moved"b'odily up and down. Coldwater may be admitted to thebcttom of the tank at all times except whenthe tank is or a roaching its up ermost, that.isquenchin'g, operation.The level "of the water is maintained by means or said overflow pipes'wen the tank isin its lowered position. When said tank is raised, infloworwater is automatically stopped and the olitflow of Water is alsoautomatically stopped. The level of the water in the tank is sufficientto submerge a.- predeterrni ned radial dimension of the la'rgediameter-of the screw 'tif it is a tapered screw). By reasonofthegsubmergin of the outer portion-of'thescrew-in the water, this outer:portion is hardened. The "operator, during the quenching operationywillcontinually turn the screw so that the entire outeredgeof the screw isquenched. it is possible that" the outer edgeof the part "of the screwof less 'dia-nieter may not be submerged, "but this is satisfactorybecause the portions of 'the 'screw close to the axis should be leftductile. Moreover, the

large diameter of the screw is the part subjected to the heaviest dutyand should be the hardest part. This is due to the fact that the linearspeed of the outermost portion of the screw is greater than the linearspeed of the part Of the screw of smaller diameter. By reason Of thefact that the bottom of the lower die is open, the water in the tankwill have ready access to the screw when the tank is raised.

By reason of the fact that the inflow of water to the tank and theoutflow of water from the tank are stopped automatically when the tankis in raised position, a sufficient submersion of the screw in the wateris insured. When the tank is in its lowered position, water is alwaysflowing bottom, 'as indicated by the numeral ll, toper- Resting upon themit the free access of water. die member ID is an elongated screw memberl2 which is to be straightened. The numeral I3 indicates a'shoe adaptedto be brought down with hammer blows upon the upper surface of the screwI2. Said shoe I3 is V-shapedin cross section on its hammering surfaceand, longitudinally, should conform in general to the correspondingsurface of the screw member l2 throughout the length of said screwmember l2 as said surface should appearafter it has been straightened.Said shoe is mounted upon a bearing 14 extending longitudinally inparallel relationship with the die l0. Said bearing I 4 is carried byaplurality of rocker arms [5 connected together by the rod [5a andmounted to swing about the fulcrum I5b, adapted to be operated bymechanism which will be described presently. Said shoe I3 is resilientlycarried by the bearing 14; and for this purpose the shoe 13 may beprovided with a plurality of pins l6 adapted to ride in bosses l1-carried by the bearing M. The pins 16 may be screw-threaded at theirouter extremities for the reception of nuts I8. Coil springs l9 may bepositioned to exert pressure between the bosses I1 and the nuts [8.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the die H1 is carried by 3. dependingU-shaped member 26 having the side members 2l2l and the bottom'meirwbers 22. Said bottom members 22 will permit access of water to theaperture II in the die. It.

Said U-shaped member 2| is supported ffrcm above by the standards 23-23carried by the base member 24. The side members 2.l-2| of the U-shapeddepending member 26 are spaced from the corresponding standards 23-23 toprovide spaces 25-25 to permit the raising of the tank 26.

Said tank 26 is shown in its lowered position in Figures 3 and 4 and issupported in said lowered position by means of the cross bars 21 carriedby the standards 2323. Said tank 26 is guided in its vertical movementby means of the rollers 28-28. The bottom of said tank is provided witha plurality of downwardly extending rods 29. Rollers 36-30 supported bythe standards 2323 are adapted to engage'said rods 29-29, whereby toassist the rollers 28-'28in guiding the tank 26 in its verticalmovement.

. As illustrated in Figure4, the tank26 is provided with a downwardlyextending operating rod 3! adapted to be moved by means of a rocker arm32, to be described more in detail presently.

The tank 26 is provided with the water inlet pipe 33 and the wateroutlet pipes 34-34. Said outlet pipes 34 are open at a predeterminedlevel below the top of the tank 26. Said level is so chosen that whenthe tank 26 is in its uppermost or quenching position the level of thewater will be such as to submerge a portion of the periphery of thescrew being heat treated. The level reached by the Water in the tank 26will be con--.

trolled by the extent of lifting of said tank 26 in a manner which willappear as the description proceeds. As indicated hereinabove, the inflowof water to the pipe 33 and the outflow of water from the tank to thepipes 3434 will be stopped automatically when the tank 26 is in itsraised or quenching position. The inflow of water to the pipe 33 andoutflow of water from the tank to the pipes 3434 will be permittedautomatically when the tank 26 is in its lowered position, as willappear more in detail presently.

Resiliently controlled means are provided for holding the screw I2 lnpredetermined position relative to the length of the die l0. Asindicated hereinabove, one extremity of the screw will ordinarily beprovided with a socket portion 35 having a non-round opening.- As shownmore in detail in Figure '7, a floating member or drive center 36 isprovided having a projection 3'! adapted to fit within the non-roundaperture in the socket portion 35 of the screw I 2. Said float ingmember, or drive center; 36 is providedat its other extremity with thenon-round projection 38 adapted to fit within the corresponding aperturein the socket 39. Said socket 39 is mounted to turn in suitable bearingsand is connected to be driven by a gear 46 adapted to cooperate with thegear 4l, which gear 4| in turn is provided with the shaft 42 adapted tobe turned by means of the crank43. The oppositely extending projections31 and 38 of the floating member or drive center 36 may have relativelyloose connections respectively with the socket portion 35 of the screwI2 and with the socket 39, whereby to have a more or less universalmovement, to the end that itwill cooperate with a screw I2 which has itssocket portion 35 warped out of proper relationship with the lengthwisedimension of the screw l2.

The particular screwl2 chosen for illustration is provided with acylindrical extremity 44 adapted to be disposed within and to turnrelatively to the socket 45. Said socket 45 is mounted at the end of alongitudinally movable rod 46, which rod 46 is mounted upon theextremity of an arm 4'! extending at right angles to the axis of saidrod 46. Said socket 45 will have suflicient play in a direction at rightangles to the length of the rod 46 to engage the extremity 44 of thescrew 1 2 even though said screw 12 is in warped condition. Y

The arm 47 with the rod 46 is adapted to be moved longitudinally of themachine, and for this purpose has fixed thereto the rod 41a adapted toslide longitudinally of the machine in bearings carried by the frame ofthe machine. Said arm 41 is adapted to be moved longitudinally of themachine by the rod 48. Said rod 48 is connected to the lever 49 whichswings about the fulcrum 56. Said lever 49'is' disposed'within the guideloop 5| and is provided with the handle 52 (Figs. 1 and 2). A spring 53is disposed in position to urge the lever .49 toward the right as theparts are viewed inFi'gure 2, whereby tore siliently hold the arm 41 andconsequently the socket 45 toward the righgt as the parts are viewed inFigures 1, 2 and 7. By this action the screw I2 will be resiliently heldagainst longitudinal movement. When it is desired to change screws thelever 49 will be moved toward the left as the parts are viewed in Figure2 to release the socket 45 from the extremity of the screw 12. The loopi may be provided with catch means, indicated generally by the numeral5la, for releasably holding the lever 49 toward the left as the partsare viewed in Figures 1 and 2 while one screw I2 is being removed fromthe machine and another screw [2 is being disposed thereon.

The means for operating the top die are illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3and 6. The numerals ii454 indicate cylinders mounted for swingingmovement about the fulcrum 55. Disposed within each of said cylinders 54is a piston 56, to

which is connected a corresponding piston rod 57. The piston rods 5l51are fulcrumed to the rod i550 which connects the rocker arms [5-45. Thelower extremity of each of the cylinders 54 is provided with the airconduit 58, through which air may be admitted under pressure to saidcylinder or may be discharged from said cylinder. Valve means forcontrolling the admission of air to and the withdrawal of air from thecylinders 54 need not be illustrated in detail. The numeral 58aindicates generally a valve for this purpose, which valve is adapted tobe controlled by the lever 58?). It will be sufficient to state thatwhen air under pressure is admitted to the cylinders 54 and pistons 56thereof will be raised whereby to lift the rocker arms Iii-I5 and theshoe 13. When air is allowed to discharge from the cylinder 54 the shoe13 will descend and will strike the screw 2 with a hammer blow.Mechanism which is readily available to those skilled in the art may beemployed in connection with the valve 580. to control the admission ofair to and the withdrawal of air from the cylinders 54, whereby the shoel3 may be raised and dropped in a rapid succession of movements. Thenumeral 559 indicates a stop mounted upon the die member 19 adjacent tothe left-hand end thereof as the parts are viewed in Figures 1, 2 and 7.Said stop 59 will limit the movement of the shoe It in its hammer blows.As shown in Figure 4, said stop 59 is provided with the upwardly openingslot to for receiving and permitting longitudinal movement'oi the rod45.

As stated hereinabove, the operator, by means of the handle 33 operatingthrough the gears H and t will communicate a turning movement to thescrew #2 while the hammer blows are being delivered to said screw [2 bythe shoe IS.

The mechanism for operating the quenching tank 26 is illustrated inFigures 1, 2 and 4. The numeral 6| indicates an air cylinder mounted toswing about the fulcrum v62. Disposed within said cylinder ii! is thepiston 63 having connected thereto the piston rod 64. The outerextremity of the piston rod 54 is fulcrumed about the pin 65 at oneextremity of the rocker arm 32 mounted for swinging movement about thefulcrum 66. The other extremity of the rocker arm 32 is slotted, asindicated by the numeral 61, for cooperation with a pin 68 projectingfrom the operating rod 3! for moving the tank 26. An adjustable stop 69is provided having the inclined face 70 for limiting movement in aclockwise direction of the rocker arm 32 as the parts are viewed inFigure 4.

The upper extremity of the air cylinder BI is provided with the conduit7|, through which air under pressure may be admitted to the cylinder 61or discharged therefrom. Means for controlling the admission of air tothe cylinder 6| or the withdrawal of air from said cylinder will "bereadily available to those skilled in the art, and no illustrationthereof is necessary. It will be sufficient to state that when air underpressure is admitted to the top portion of the cylinder 6! the rockerarm 32 will be swung in a clockwise direction as the parts are viewed inFigure 4, communicating a lifting movement to the tank 25, whereby thelevel of water (marked by the upper extremities of the pipes 34-34) willbe brought up to a sufiicient height to submerge a portion of the screwI2 being heat treated. During the time that the screw I2 is being heattreated, said screw will be rotated, such rotation being accomplished byoperation of the crank 43.

Cooling water will preferably be admitted to the tank 28 and dischargedtherefrom continuously "while said tank is in its lowered position. Byreference to Figure 6 it will be noted that the pipe 33 for deliveringwater to the tank 26 is provided with the valve 12 adapted to beoperated by the lever 73. Said lever 13 is biased by the spring 74 tohold valve 12 in closed position. When the tank 26 is in its lowermostposition, said lever l3 will be abutted by the stop I5, whereby to holdthe valve 12 in open position. The pipes 3434 for discharging water fromthetank 25 are connected to the pipe 16 provided with the valve Ti. Saidvalve H is adapt- 'ed to be controlled by the lever "l8, which is biasedby the spring 79 to hold the valve 71 in open position. When the tank 25is in its lowermost position the lever l8 will be abutted by the stop89, whereby to hold the valve H in open position.

When the tank 25 is raised a short distance above its lowermost positionthe levers l3 and '18 will be freed from their corresponding stops "I5and 80, and by reason of the springs M and '19 respectively will bemoved in a counterclockwise direction as the parts are viewed in Figure6 to close the corresponding valves 72 and 17, whereby both inflow ofwater to and discharge of water from the tank 25 will be stopped andwhereby a predetermined level of water will be maintained within thetank 26 to submerge a predetermined portion of the screw 52 beingtreated.

As illustrated, a conduit 8! is provided for admitting water to thevalve 'l'fi for delivery to the bottom of the tank 23. A dischargeconduit, indicated by the numeral 82, is connected to the dischargevalve "ll. When the tank 26 is in its lowered position, water is alwaysflowing in at the bottom of th tank and out at the top. It is therebyassured that the tank is filled with cold water when quenching is to bedone.

The numeral 83 indicates a trough extending longitudinally of themachine for convenience in handling a screw !2 before and after it hasbeen straightened and heat treated.

By reason of the construction illustrated and described, the functionsset forth in the prefatory remarks appearing hereinabove will beaccomplished. By reason of the blows applied by the shoe [3 while thescrew is hot and being turned,

said screw will be straightened, the action being decidedly better thana pressing action upon th hot screw. Experience has shown that a screwwhich has been straightened by pressing will often resume its warpedshape upon being subjected to a blow such as caused for example bydropping upon a hard floor.

Though a preferred embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed in detail, many modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art. It is intended to cover all such modifications that fall withinthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is- 1.. Means for heat treating a member including meansfor holding said member, means for rotating said member, a verticallyreciprocable quenching tank, means for delivering cooling medium to andwithdrawing cooling medium from said tank to maintain a predeterminedlevel of cooling medium in said tank when said tank is in loweredposition, said delivering and withdrawing means being provided withmeans responsive to Vertical movement of said tank for stopping flow ofcooling medium into and out of said tank when said tank is removed fromits lowermost position, and means for controlling the raising andlowering of said quenching tank whereby the level of water in said tankmay be raised to a predetermined level to submerge a predeterminedportion of said member. I

2. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding saidmember, means for rotating said member, a quenching tank, means formaintaining a predetermined level of water within said tank, means forraising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, andmeans responsive to the position of said tank for stopping inflow ofwaterto and outflow of water from said tank when said tank is removedfrom its lowermost position.

3. Means for heat treating a memberv including means for holding saidmember, means for rotating said member, a quenchingtank, means formaintaining a predetermined level of water within said tank, means forraising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, meansresponsive to the position of said tank for stopping inflow of water toand outflow of water from said tank when said tank is removed from itslowermost position, and adjustable means for limiting the liftingmovement of said tank whereby to limit the level of water in said tankwith respect to said member.

4. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding saidmember, means for rotating said member, a quenching tank, means formaintaining a predetermined level of water within said tank, means forraising said tank into quenching relationship with said member, meansfor insuring a supply of flowing cool water to said quenching tank whilesaid tank is in non-quenching position, and means responsive to theposition of said tank for shutting off the supply of water to and theoutflow of water from said tank when said tank is in quenching position.

5. In combination, means for holding a member to be heat treated, meansfor rotating said member, a quenching tank adapted to be raised andlowered, means for maintaining a predetermined level of flowing waterwithin said tank when said tank is in lowered position, means forraising said tank whereby the water in said tank isbrought intoquenching relationship with said member, and means responsive to theposition of said tank for shutting off the inflow of water to and theoutflow of water from said tank when said tank is in quenching position.

6. Means for heat treating a member'including means for holding saidmember, a vertically reciprocable quenching tank, means for deliveringcooling medium to and withdrawing cooling medium from said tank, saiddelivering and withdrawing means being provided with means responsive tomovement of said tank for stopping flow of cooling medium into and outof said tank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position, andmeans for controlling the raising and lowering of said quenching tankwhereby the level of water in said tank may be raised to a predeterminedlevel to submerge a predetermined portion of said member.

'7. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding saidmember, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a. predetermined levelof water within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenchingrelationship with said member, and means responsive to the position ofsaid tank for stopping inflow of water to and outflow of water from saidtank when said tank is removed from its lowermost position.

8. Means for heat treating a member includ-' ing means for holding saidmember, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a predetermined level ofWater within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenchingrelationship with said member, means responsive to the position of saidtank for stopping inflow of water to and outflow of water from said tankwhen said tank is removed from its lowermost position, and adjustablemeans for limiting the lifting movement of said tank whereby to limitthe level of water in said tank with respect to said member.

9. Means for heat treating a member including means for holding saidmember, a quenching tank, means for maintaining a predetermined level ofwater within said tank, means for raising said tank into quenchingrelationship with said member, means for insuring a supply of flowingcool water to said quenching tank While said tank is in non-quenchingposition, and means responsive to the position of said tank for shuttingoff the supply of water to and the outflow of water from said tank whensaid tank is in quenching position.

10. In combination, means for holding a member to be heat treated, aquenching tank adapted to be raised and lowered, means for maintaining apredetermined level of flowing water within said tank when said tank isin lowered position, means for raising said tank whereby the water insaid tank is brought into quenching relationship with said member, andmeans responsive to the position of said tank for shutting off theinflow of water to and the outflow of Water from said tank when saidtank is in quenching position.

WALTER P. SMITH. C EDWARD WESTOVER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,555,5L h. November 2, 1914.5.

WALTER P. SMITH, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5first column, line 2, for "righgt" read --right--; line 5b., for "and"read -the-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent ffice. I

Signed and sealed this ll th day of December, A. D. 19%.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) 7 Acting Commissioner of Patents.

